]]>I’ve been stressing about Passover cooking. My 18-year-old son became vegan a few months ago, and I’m afraid my usual menu plan might leave him hungry. Because of the prohibitions against seeds and legumes (kitniyot) in the Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish Passover tradition, vegan staples like lentils, beans and sesame are off the table. Fortunately, my friend Rena Reich came […]

]]>I’ve been stressing about Passover cooking. My 18-year-old son became vegan a few months ago, and I’m afraid my usual menu plan might leave him hungry. Because of the prohibitions against seeds and legumes (kitniyot) in the Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish Passover tradition, vegan staples like lentils, beans and sesame are off the table.

The recipes in this vegan cookbook do not contain animal products such as eggs, dairy, fish, or meat. They also contain no seeds or legumes. Although many Ashkenazim today do eat quinoa, Rena decided to leave that out too. So these recipes will be acceptable to most Passover-observant guests you are likely to host.

Several of Rena’s recipes answered questions I have been asking myself. How can you make vegan matza balls (kneidlech) that won’t fall apart? What about kugels (vegetable pudding), mayonnaise, and matza brei (French toast made with matza)? Rena provides solutions, without eggs, for all of these.

Vegan Start Passover Cookbook includes a vegan Seder menu, with ideas for vegan substitutes for the egg and bone on the Seder plate. I found the recipes for soups, sides and salads to be similar to those throughout the year, since most vegetables are kosher for Passover. She bases the main course recipes on mushrooms, and potatoes, and other vegetables, like Mushroom Burgers, Gnocchi and Ratatouille. I suggest adding herbs to spice up some of the savory recipes.

Two specialty recipes that I definitely plan to try, or have my son try, are almond milk and mayonnaise. These high-priced items are expensive when ready-made, and often full of additives. Rena’s mayonnaise is based on oil and almond milk (or another vegan milk).

Rena has offered to give away 3 copies of the book to readers. Here are three ways to enter:

]]>One of the most common questions on cooking sites and forums is whether leftover food should be thrown out. The best advice is to prevent these questions , by learning how to store food properly, estimate quantities, keep track of what you have, and use leftovers creatively.

But what happens if you fear your food has been hanging around for too long? You can look up storage times on various sites, but the recommendations tend to be overly cautious. So much depends on how the food was prepared, and the storage conditions. I suggest using those sites only as a general guideline. If the food looks and smells good, it's probably safe.

But what happens if you fear your food has been hanging around for too long? You can look up storage times on various sites, but the recommendations tend to be overly cautious. So much depends on how the food was prepared, and the storage conditions. I suggest using those sites only as a general guideline. If the food looks and smells good, it’s probably safe. And if the food looks or smells off, throw it out even if the guidelines say it’s safe.

If you are new at this and don’t trust your judgment, put the questionable food back in the refrigerator and check it the next day. If you are still in doubt, that means it was fine yesterday. If it really stinks, next time you will not keep it for so long. Do this often enough, and you will gain confidence.

The bacteria that hang around our kitchen are usually not dangerous. But the ones that come into the house from the farm and store, can be. So if you are careful to cook food carefully, handle raw meat as little as possible, and wash your hands, dishes, and counters, you are unlikely to wind up in the hospital with food poisoning.

How risky is it to eat spoiled food? The bacterium Clostridium perfringens is the one most likely to infest cooked meat.

I read several websites on this bug, including the Center for Disease Control. C. perfringens is everywhere, so it quickly colonizes food. Once it multiplies past a certain point, it can cause illness—namely diarrhea with an onset of 6-24 hours after eating the food. The illness generally lasts less than 24 hours. It is not life-threatening unless you are very young or very old.

I would not wish diarrhea or food poisoning on anyone, nor am I recommending that you eat food that has been questionably stored.

And note this statement by the CDC: Foods that have dangerous bacteria in them may not taste, smell, or look different. Any food that has been left out too long may be dangerous to eat, even if it looks okay.

You can definitely get sick from food that looks and tastes fine. However, when food was fully cooked to start with, the chances are low. Food that has been infected by large amounts of bacteria usually smells and looks bad. And I think it’s fair to assume that when food looks and smells fine, any illness you get from common air-borne bacteria will be milder than it would be when the food is obviously spoiled.

If you do unintentionally eat foods containing excess amounts of C. perfringens, you will probably get diarrhea, and you’ll feel lousy, but you are unlikely to end up in the hospital. The same applies to the other bacteria floating around your kitchen. The symptoms might be slightly different, but they are still unlikely to make you very sick.

I want to emphasize that the above ONLY applies when the food has been fully cooked. There are some bacteria, like salmonella or E. coli, that you should never play around with. And if you or someone in your household is pregnant, sick, very young, or very old, you will want to be more cautious.

There is a downside to throwing out food that is still good. Wasting food uses up all of the resources used to grow, transport, and cook the food. It creates problems in the environment. For some people, it may put a serious dent in their budget.

What’s the bottom line? Educate yourself and use common sense. Store food wisely and carefully, cook it fully, and use up leftovers quickly. Always examine food before serving. And make the decision that you are most comfortable with.

]]>I was looking for something different for the holidays, when a friend suggested turkey breast. Turkey breast is easy to slice and serve, and leftovers can be stored in small containers for quick leftovers. It tends to dry out, so be careful not to overcook. To keep the turkey moist, I slathered it with a […]

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I was looking for something different for the holidays, when a friend suggested turkey breast. Turkey breast is easy to slice and serve, and leftovers can be stored in small containers for quick leftovers. It tends to dry out, so be careful not to overcook.

To keep the turkey moist, I slathered it with a mixture of herbs, oil and lemon juice. Easy, elegant, and tasty.

]]>Reader Sarah writes: I read with great interest your planning and preparation for your amazing Bar Mitzvah for 35 people. I think that it might be helpful if you gave your readers the “lay of the land” with respect to your kitchen. For example, how many ovens, refrigerators, and freezers do you have and are […]

I read with great interest your planning and preparation for your amazing BarMitzvah for 35 people. I think that it might be helpful if you gave your readers the “lay of the land” with respect to your kitchen. For example, how many ovens, refrigerators, and freezers do you have and are they extra large? In addition, you seem to be working with the crème de la crème of food processors. Could someone feasibly accomplish your set of tasks with a lesser Kitchenaid? Finally, what size pots do you have? While I cook a fair amount, I am do not believe that I own the pots necessary for this kind of meal preparation. Frankly, I am not certain what size pot(s) one would need to cook cholent (Sabbath stew) for 35. I am also wondering how much blech space you have. [Note: A blech is a metal tray placed over burners, used for keeping food warm over the sabbath.]

Sarah, thanks for sending your question. The thought of cooking for so many people is intimidating!

You’re correct that having and well-equipped kitchen makes things a lot easier. I have a large family and have invested in a good amount of equipment over the years. On the other hand, every kitchen has space and equipment limitations, and every home chef has limited amounts of time, energy and expense. There are many techniques for getting around these limits. Let’s address the issues one at a time.

Ovens.If you are using your oven for cooking and baking, you can fill it up again and again. Ideally, you’ll have pans that take up the maximum amount of space. If you are talking about reheating, hotplates may be more practical than a blech. I’ll address that below.
I have a double oven, but the ovens do not work at the same time. The larger one is still small by American standards. The smaller one can fit two large trays that came with the oven, as long as I don’t fill them too high. While I can fit four whole chickens on one tray, the second tray won’t then fit. Oven space is usually less of a limitation than time, as you can refill the oven again and again. This is assuming that you have space to store the cooked food until your event.

Food processor. I do have a large one, but that is really not necessary. You can process or grate in batches, then dump into a large bowl and mix again at the end. Even challah dough can be kneaded in batches, although I usually do large batches of dough by hand. Even the largest food processor can’t do everything.

Bowls. Plastic bowls of different sizes can be very useful when you have a small processor. I use mine for mixing salads, casseroles, kugels (vegetable puddings), or dough. Try to keep at least one very large bowl, of at least 14 liters (quarts). Bonus if it has a cover, like the pink one in the picture that lives on top of a bathroom cabinet.

Pots. It’s difficult to make very large meals without at least one large pot. Garage sales are likely to have a few, or you may be able to borrow from friends. If you have the burner space, split the soup into two smaller pots to halve serving time (with help and an extra ladle). Other foods can be transferred from the pot to aluminum trays for heating, so you can save the large pot for the cholent (stew). I used a 14-liter pot for the cholent, to serve 35. Another option is to make everything in large aluminum trays in the even, including cholent. But the cost of heavy-duty disposable trays will add up.
If you have four pots, four electric or gas burners, and an oven with space for two trays, you can cook six things at once (although some might be small amounts). A crock pot or electric pot increases your yield. If you schedule carefully, you can finish with 2-3 prepping and cooking sessions over a few days or weeks.

Reheating and keeping food warm. I own both a large and a small electric hotplate, that can each hold several pots or trays of food. Perhaps you can borrow one or two. Depending on the time of year, plan the menu so that fewer items require heating. For instance, serving cold fish as an appetizer instead of hot soup saves on heating time.

Electrical power. Electricity and electrical outlets are another limitation to consider. Not every kitchen is equipped to have the oven, air-conditioner, dishwasher, refrigerator, two or three hotplates, a hot water urn, and a slow cooker operating simultaneously. Be sure to test in advance by running all of your equipment at once.

How will you store leftovers, and in what? Would you rather distribute them to your guests? This link may be helpful: Estimating Quantities.

On the day of the event, how will you heat the food and keep it warm? What containers will maximize that space, and what can they contain? What utensils will you use for serving?

How will you set the tables, serve, clear, and clean up? Do you need to hire help? Individual portions are impressive, but time-consuming. It’s easier to slice a cake than to make individual tarts.

Schedule cooking times carefully, so that none of your pots or cooking spaces is doing double-duty. Clean up as you go. Try to prepare vegetables on one day and cook the next. Cholent should be cooked on Friday to save space. See my Cooking Spreadsheet.

Schedule shopping trips the day before vegetable preparation.

Are any of the guests willing to bring food? If they live nearby, ask for salads since they are best prepared at the last minute. Desserts are also an easy dish to assign. And if you have a kosher bakery or caterer in town, that can also be an option for some items.

Plan very, very carefully. Write down every ingredient, utensil, and chore. Build in extra time for emergencies, and include your children as much as possible.

]]>Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, has been covertly watching people’s eating habits for the last 25 years. In an interview with Anna Maria Tremonte of CBC’s the current, available as a podcast, he argued that there are more effective ways to change people’s eating habits than dieting. In his book, […]

]]>Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, has been covertly watching people’s eating habits for the last 25 years. In an interview with Anna Maria Tremonte of CBC’s the current, available as a podcast, he argued that there are more effective ways to change people’s eating habits than dieting.

We make 200 decisions about eating every day. Breakfast is about more than whether we have cereal or eggs. If we choose cereal, we choose which kind, how much, whether to add milk and how much, whether to finish the serving, and if so, whether to have seconds. If we set up the environment in such a way that we have fewer unhealthy options, we will eat better without much effort.

Wansink claims that we make decisions about eating in a limited number of places throughout the day, so it’s relatively easy to make changes that will drive us to make healthier choices.

A primary predictor of healthy or unhealthy weight is what food is out on the counter in the kitchen. People who keep chips or cookies on the counter, even a single cookie, weigh an average of ten pounds (4.5 kg) more, than their neighbors who don’t. When the cookies are in sight, you must repeatedly make a decision about eating them. You might resist 25 times, consider it on the 26th, and give in on the 27th. Cereal is even more enticing, according to Wansink, because we perceive it as healthier. If cereal is on the counter, you’re likely to weigh 20 pounds (9 kg) more than average.

Candy is only worth three pounds (1.5 kg) a year, perhaps because people keep up their guard. But keeping fruit on your counter can help you weigh eight pounds (3.5) less than average. Wansink recommends keeping a bowl of fruit within two feet (60 cm) of where you walk every day.

Choosing smaller plates, from 11-12 inches (28-30 cm) to 9-10-inch (22-25 cm) diameter, reduces the amount of food consumed by 22%. A 4-ounce (120 g) serving of pasta looks like an appetizer on a large plate.

Wansink has also studied restaurants, particularly Chinese buffets. He found that thin people act differently at buffets than overweight people. Strategies that thin people use, based on his observations, include walking around the entire buffet before filling your (small) plate, sit with your back to the buffet, and using chopsticks.

Schools and workplaces can also encourage healthy eating by making healthy choices more accessible and attractive.

I do keep fruit on my counter, and if I do buy cake or snacks, it stays in the cabinet or I will eat it. Do you think Wansink’s suggestions encourage healthy eating? Would you try them yourself?

]]>My vegan son asked me to make chumus. I’ve failed numerous times. The recipe below, unlike others I’ve seen, does not include additional water. I also spent five minutes removing the skin from the cooked chickpeas. I happened to have fresh parsley and coriander on hand, so I added them both. They definitely took the chumus to […]

]]>My vegan son asked me to make chumus. I’ve failed numerous times. The recipe below, unlike others I’ve seen, does not include additional water. I also spent five minutes removing the skin from the cooked chickpeas.

I happened to have fresh parsley and coriander on hand, so I added them both. They definitely took the chumus to a new level. This dish got raves from my kids, and I will be making it frequently.

I used freshly cooked chickpeas for this recipe. To cook chickpeas, see this chart: Guide to Cooking Dried Beans from Scratch. Adding baking soda makes them softer and easier to peel, but destroys some vitamins. I prefer not to add it.

Canned chickpeas work too.

Serve with fresh salad or cut-up vegetables, and fresh pita or whole-grain bread for dipping.

This spicy chickpea paste can be an appetizer or a main course with pita or other bread and vegetables.

Ingredients

1 clove fresh garlic, peeled

5 sprigs each parsley and coriander

1.5 cups cooked chickpeas, skin removed if desired

3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)

Juice of half a lemon

½-1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon high quality olive oil for garnish

Instructions

To peel chickpeas (optional): Wash your hands. Put the well-cooked chickpeas in a bowl and crush the peas between your fingers. The skin will come off in your hands. Drop the skins into another bowl and discard. Continue until all the skins have been removed.

Place the garlic and coriander into a food processor bowl and process with the S-blade until chopped.

Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, salt, and cumin. Process until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.

]]>How to Cook Spinach in the Microwave is one of the most popular posts on Cooking Manager. Preparing spinach in the microwave is quick and mess-free, and nearly foolproof. After cooking fresh spinach, whether in a microwave, pot, or pressure cooker, you can use it in a variety of recipes. I usually chop some, and […]

After cooking fresh spinach, whether in a microwave, pot, or pressure cooker, you can use it in a variety of recipes. I usually chop some, and leave the rest whole.

While a lot of people claim not to like spinach, its taste is rather mild. If you stick to small amounts, only the most avid spinach hater is likely to object. Also, the bright green color enhances the look of the dish.

Not all of the iron in spinach is digestible, and people with a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones should avoid it. Spinach contains a variety of important vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron and folate.

So now that you’ve prepared the spinach, what can you do with it? Below are ten ways of using cooked spinach.

How about Eggs Florentine? Start with raw spinach. Saute a large bunch of spinach with garlic and olive oil, squeeze in a bit of lemon, add some salt and pepper, and feta cheese if you like. Serve poached eggs over the bed of sauteed spinach for a gluten-free yummy breakfast. Via Maya Thau-Eleff at the Norene’s Kitchen Facebook group.

]]>Cholent is the Yiddish word for the stew traditionally served on Sabbath mornings in Jewish homes. Most Jewish communities throughout the world had their own version, using local ingredients. Before people had their own ovens, they brought the cholent to the communal oven on Friday afternoon. There, it would cook overnight, because starting the cooking is forbidden from […]

]]>Cholent is the Yiddish word for the stew traditionally served on Sabbath mornings in Jewish homes. Most Jewish communities throughout the world had their own version, using local ingredients. Before people had their own ovens, they brought the cholent to the communal oven on Friday afternoon. There, it would cook overnight, because starting the cooking is forbidden from sunset on Friday.

Cholent generally includes small amounts of poultry or cubed meat, and some recipes originating in North Africa include whole eggs in the shell. The key to making a long cooking stew is to include lots of flavorful ingredients.

My son, who recently become vegan, has been making vegan cholent whenever he comes home for the weekend. It has a few surprise, like mushrooms and date syrup or tea. Cholent is very flexible, so don’t be afraid to omit or substitute ingredients. Make sure to add enough water, so it doesn’t dry out during the long cooking period.

]]>Fats and oils are an essential part of the human diet, and help make foods tasty. But with some medical conditions, or before certain procedures, it’s necessary to eat foods with very little or no fat content. You may have to completely avoid butter, oil, and margarine. You may also not be able to have sesame paste, peanut butter, […]

]]>Fats and oils are an essential part of the human diet, and help make foods tasty. But with some medical conditions, or before certain procedures, it’s necessary to eat foods with very little or no fat content. You may have to completely avoid butter, oil, and margarine. You may also not be able to have sesame paste, peanut butter, avocado, egg yolks, cheese, nuts, and milk with any fat content.

But just because you can’t eat fat, you can still enjoy tasty meals. Cooking without fat may require only a few changes to your regular recipes.

Here are some suggestions:

Use the microwave. Chopped onions can be softened by cooking in the microwave for 3-5 minutes. Or you can chop them finely and they will cook in the microwave with the rest of the dish. Try a crustless quiche made with egg whites, finely chopped onions, skim milk and the vegetable of your choice.

Skip sauteing onions and other vegetables them before using in soup or other dishes, like rice. They will cook well in the water, as long as you allow enough cooking time. If they are chopped finely, they will cook quickly.

]]>My son became a vegan just a few weeks ago. After graduating high school last spring, he decided to spend the year volunteering in a town with a low socio-economic population. He and the other teens in his program volunteer during the day, and cook together in the evening. My son helps weak students in a high […]

]]>My son became a vegan just a few weeks ago. After graduating high school last spring, he decided to spend the year volunteering in a town with a low socio-economic population. He and the other teens in his program volunteer during the day, and cook together in the evening. My son helps weak students in a high school in the morning, and works with immigrant children in the afternoon.

Four of his fellow volunteers are vegetarian, and one is a vegan. According to my son, she is the best cook in their group. After attending a festival for vegans, my son decided to become a vegan too.

Two of my children have been vegetarian for several years, so I have experience. But they are easy−they eat everything that is not actually meat or fish, including chicken soup. They pick out pieces of meat and put them aside. So as long as I don’t make something like a ground-turkey casserole with no side dishes, they’ll do okay.

But my vegan son doesn’t compromise. Not only does he avoid meat and fish, he won’t touch small amounts of egg or dairy. Frankly, I was upset with him for not giving me enough warning, especially when I had a full house in the middle of the Jewish holidays.

But I got a surprise in the end. On the eve of the holiday he took out a piece of paper, and started writing up menus. He collected the ingredients and cooked vegan dishes, while I cooked the chicken and the chicken soup. This scenario repeats itself every time he comes home now, about every other weekend. So while I have lost a meat-eater, I’ve gained a co-chef. My vegetarian daughter also makes one or two dishes.